Amanmayusuallybeknownbythebookshereadsaswellasbythecompanyhekeeps;forthereisacompanionshipofbooksaswellasofmen;andoneshouldalwaysliveinthebestcompany,whetheritbeofbooksorofmen.
Agoodbookmaybeamongthebestoffriends.Itisthesametodaythatitalwayswas,anditwillneverchange.Itisthemostpatientandcheerfulofcompanions.Itdoesnotturnitsbackuponusintimesofadversityordistress.Italwaysreceivesuswiththesamekindness,amusingandinstructingusinyouth,andcomfortingandconsolingusinage.
Bookspossessanessenceofimmortality.Theyarebyfarthemostlastingproductsofhumaneffort.Templesandstatuesdecay,butbookssurvive.Timeisofnoaccountwithgreatthoughts,whichareasfreshtodayaswhentheyfirstpassedthroughtheirauthor’sminds,agesago.
Whatwasthemsaidandthoughtstillspeakstousasvividlyaseverfromtheprintedpage.Theonlyeffectoftimehasbeentosiftoutthebadproducts;fornothinginliteraturecanlongsurvivebutwhatisreallygood.Booksintroduceusintothebestsociety;theybringusintothepresenceofthegreatestmindsthathaveeverlived.
Wehearwhattheysaidanddid;weseethemasiftheywerereallyalive;wesympathizewiththem,enjoywiththem,grievewiththem;theirexperiencebecomesours,andwefeelasifwewereinmeasureactorswiththeminthesceneswhichtheydescribe.
Thebookisalivingvoice.Itisanintellecttowhichonestilllistens.Henceweeverremainundertheinfluenceofthegreatmenofold.Thegreatestintellectsoftheworldareasmuchalivenowastheywereagesago.